hoffmanillustrates! That's me
- Kimberley Hoffman -

I illustrate, design, teach and talk to you about art and creativity

You feast with your eyes. Are you looking for the visual treat that will make your project, event or ideas a delicious success?

You’ve landed in the right spot if you

  • need friendly, playful illustrations for print or web
  • want to self-publish your book
  • need print materials designed
  • want to find out more about the world of illustration and design
  • need an artist who can draw your guests at your event or party
  • want an original portrait, digital or analog

I am  an illustrator, with a BA in Illustration, I design and teach Illustration and Design. I am also an American living in a historic, idyllic little city in Lower Saxony, Germany.

For me, creating means to go on an adventure with you, I look forward to waking up to this journey every single day, to letting lines and colors wander over my paper – be it virtual or analog – giving it personality and life.

Since my earliest childhood, I have always been inquisitive and believe that knowledge (and money) is a lot like horse manure. It is only good if you spread it around. I like to share my knowledge in the form of illustrations, lessons, lectures, videos and webinars

I do that for you

My illustrations reflect your wishes, your hopes, your plans and your ambitions. I take the child inside of you to the most imaginative places and return you to your safe haven, enriched with visual experiences and imaginative delicacies. Just tell me where you’d like to go, which goals you have or what kind of results you want.

Let me take you on that journey, let your inner child rise up and help you experience the world with fresh eyes.

Children and families are my illustration speciality. This can be in the form of a search and find illustration, a board book picture or an non-fictional, educational image.

How did hoffmanillustrates! come about?

I admit to a (cough, cough) certain degree of inherit stubbornness. I am probably the most stubborn person in my family. Actually, as a teenager, I wanted to be involved with fashion, so I chose art as my high school major, but my teacher told me I could not draw. That annoyed me and so, with a good portion of strong will, I taught myself to draw.

I am sure that the art teacher was quite astonished when I was accepted by three well-known art schools – Parsons School of Design, Pratt School of Art and Syracuse University. I chose Parsons, got a partial scholarship and got my diploma in illustration which included a semester abroad in Paris.

How or Why I traded NYC for Germany

Friday the 13th – was my lucky Day

For some people, Friday the 13th is a stay-in-bed, super bad-omen day, but, that’s the day I met my German husband in Café Heidelberg in New York City . I knew him only a few short weeks, and had wanted to visit him shortly afterwards in Germany; but, he gave me a choice: Come with a one-way ticket or not at all.

I did not take long to decide.

I have been living in Germany since January 23, 1992. We have a daughter and a son and have been living in Wolfenbüttel since 1996 with a big old tree in the garden and two cute bunnies in the stall.

So yes, the risk was worth it.

I take weighted risks.
For my clients I am willing to lean out the window, risking a fall on my nose, to realise the most creative solution for you.
Some call this „thinking out of the box“.
If you prefer „Thinking in the Box,“ no worries, I can do that, too, just differently.

Kimberley Hoffman – Die selbstständige Kreativschaffende

When my son turned 2 years old, I realised that a positive work-life balance was not possible with the advertising agency I worked at. It took another year until I took another big risk and became self-employed.

When my son turned 2 years old, I realised that a positive work-life balance was not possible with the advertising agency I worked at. It took another year until I took another big risk and became self-employed.

The name gave me the necessary distance to my work to illustrate successfully. I want the best for you, my client. This distance between person and creator offers a special objectivity that creates quality. Much like when your children are successful, you are proud of them, yet you know that these children are strong enough to succeed on their own and go their own way.

The path to working as an independent creator was not always easy. But I have an innate assertiveness and the desire to illuminate the world through my images. To enlighten your message. To tell your story visually.

What else do I do except draw?

At the end of 2008, I started teaching Design at the Johannes-Selenka-Schule in Braunschweig. It was a great time and I grew beyond myself. My first class had a whopping 27 students – most between 18 and 19 years old. Teaching, I discovered, gave me a lot of pleasure and surprisingly, speaking in front of others was no problem at all. (I am really introverted)

Currently, I am teaching this same age group online at OCAD, Cambridge Online Education, an online art school in England. The school offers a qualification program for admission to English universities.

Due to the change from an analog to a digital school, I gained more time again, time which I could spend on creativity and also, more time for my students, which I enjoy very much.

The experience at the Johannes-Selenka-Schule also helped me to draw at events. And also to give lectures, for example in the „Haus der Geschichte“ (The House – or Museum –  of History) in Bonn.

Getting back to my creative work

My focus is on communication design for children and families, but, I also create non-fictional and realistic illustrations. I enjoy developing search and find images (Wimmel-illustrations), I like the spontaneity of event drawing and am proud that I was nominated for the German Design Award 2016 for „LineLino–Auf dem Bauernhof“ (LineLino–On the Farm).

I like to work in many different styles to get new ideas for my art and to keep my work as fresh as possible. My versatility is my strength.

Researching is something I really enjoy, especially for historical kinds of illustrations. I’ve always been an attentive person who enjoys watching everything and anything, making notes and sketches in my sketchbook–things that will later appear in illustrations.

I enjoy watching children play and when I’m out and about with my sketchbook feel honored when they draw for me. Such experiences help me to internalize and understand things from a child’s point of view.

Live drawing gives my illustrations a certain spontaneity. I am definitely an illustrator who first reaches for paper and pen. I develop my illustrations in analogue or digital form, depending on the specifications of my commission.

Contact wanted

Are you an editor, art director or art buyer looking for an experienced illustrator? Just get in touch with me.

Your dream is to publish a children’s book? Then I’ll help you with the design up to the ready-to-print production of your book. Just get in touch with me.

You belong to a company that is looking for a special, unforgettable image? Nothing is easier than that. Just get in touch with me.

You are organizing an event and are looking for an event artist? I can make quick portraits of your guests or visitors at your event.

Just get in touch with me.

 

You want to know more about Illustration and Design?

Follow my blog „More Color!“ I write about my work, about inspirations, about illustration techniques and once a month I write a review about a book from the field of design, or about helpful apps and programs. I also offer illustrated DIYs and craft sheets that are free to download. If you want to know what is coming up, just sign up for my newsletter

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What is important to me:

A satisfied customer.
A trusting customer relationship.
Good design and fantastic illustrations.
Lastly, I want my work to exceed your expectations, helping you increase your sales, customer attention and satisfaction.
Do you have a project that deserves extraordinary results?
I look forward to hearing from you, by e-mail, contact form or by phone (+ 49 (0) 53 31-3 36 20).

Awards

  • German Design Award 2016 – Nomination
  • Frauenwelten – Landkreis Wolfenbüttel 2007, Caricature Competition Women’s Worlds
  • Stadtmarketing Wolfenbüttel 1998 Logo Competition for the local city marketing
  • Palette & Zeichenstift 1994 3rd Place in an art magazine

Lectures

  • Haus der Geschichte 01.02.2015 Immer Bunter: Einwanderungsland Deutschland
  • (Always colourful: Immigration in Germany)

Teaching

  • Cambridge Online Education seit 2015
  • Johannes-Selenka-Schule 2008—2015
  • Berlitz Sprachschule 1992–1993

Books

  • Im Kochtopf um die Welt, Bobo-Verlag
  • Linelino auf dem Bauernhof, Bobo-Verlag
  • Himmlischer Kindermund, Kindermund-Verlag
  • Du schaffst das schon, DLRG
  • Verhandeln im Einkauf, Springer-Gabler-Verlag
  • Heidelberg wimmelt, Silberburg-Verlag
  • Mannheim wimmelt, Silberberburg-Verlag (Erscheinung Mai 2019)

Journals, Magazines, ther Publications

  • ClicClac – das Fammilienmagazin
  • Neues Land e.V. Newsletter
  • U.N. Secretariat News
  • Vektorsoft Kundenmagazin: Konzept 16 Nachrichten

Exhibits

  • Characters „Illustrierte Figuren“ Halle 96 Hannover Gemeinschaftsausstellung IllustratorenHannover 2014 Group exhibition
  • Gemeinschaftsausstellung IllustratorenHannover Juli 2012 Romantik Bad Rehburg, Group exhibition
  • Praxis Dr. Elisat, Braunschweig, Solo exhibition
  • Augenblick Optik, Wolfenbüttel, Solo exhibition
  • minisprech, Düsseldorf Gemeinschaftsausstellung 2009, Group exhibition
  • FrauenWelten, Volksbank Wolfenbüttel 2007, Group exhibition

Mentions – Newspapers/Journals/Online